Cordes Cody Prioleau Palmer Sr., 83, widower of Elizabeth Zemp Palmer, died Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Joseph Palmer and the late Marianne Elizabeth Langley Palmer. Mr. Palmer attended The Citadel, where he graduated with a B.S. in civil engineering. He joined the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1942. He served with the 172nd Combat Engineer Battalion as they trained in the states of Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky. He joined the firm of Palmer and Mallard Engineers and Surveyors of Sumter in 1947, where he served as chairman. He is registered in South Carolina as a professional engineer and land surveyor. He was a member of the Episcopal Church Of The Holy Comforter, where he had served on the vestry, organized an endowment fund and was a local and diocesan lay reader. He was also a member of the Sumter Rotary Club, the Roads End Club, and the Millwood Club. He served as Scoutmaster of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3034 Troop 333 in Sumter. The Scout Troop won the Henry Shelor award for advancement in scouting. Mr. Palmer was elected Surveyor of the Year by the South Carolina Society of Professional Land Surveyors. He was selected Humanitarian of the year by the board of directors of the Sumter Family Young Men’s Christian Association and served as a past president of the board. He was elected Chairman Emeritus of the Central Carolina Technical College on retirement. He was commended by the state of South Carolina House of Representatives for his 22 years of service to the technical college. Surviving are a son, Cordes Prioleau Palmer Jr. of Sumter; a daughter, Lydia Palmer Unsworth of Conway; a brother, Robert D. Palmer of Sumter; a sister, Marianne E. Palmer of Sumter; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Elizabeth P. Collins. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. today at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter with the Rev. Mark Riggs officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jay Palmer, Thomas Palmer, Jimmy Strange, Capers Dixon, Richard Dwight, Phil Edwards and Marshall Dixon. Honorary pallbearers will be members of The Millwood Club and the Roads End Club. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 3 p.m. today in the church parish hall. Memorials may be made to the YMCA, 50 Willow Drive, Sumter, SC 29150, or to the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter Parish Life Building Fund, P.O. Box 338, Sumter, SC 29151. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com. Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
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